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A residential Home owned by Caerphilly County Borough Council has received a national award for the quality of life provided to people living with a dementia.

Ty Iscoed Residential Home in Newbridge was given the award following an unannounced qualitative audit that took place in December 2015.

Caerphilly County Borough Council commissioned the organisation Dementia Care Matters to work with Ty Iscoed Residential Home to improve the quality of life of the people living with a dementia and achieved a kitemark Butterfly Home status.

Gwen Coleman, project leader with Dementia Care Matters said ‘’I am thrilled with the outcome! I feel immensely humbled and proud to have shared the journey along with other Dementia Care Matters consultants and the management team and all the staff at Ty Iscoed’’

David Sheard (Dr) CEO/Founder, Dementia Care Matters said ‘’Please send my heartfelt congratulations to everyone in the home – it is a huge achievement and something you should all feel enormous pride in – culture change takes heart, dogged determination, true leadership and the creation of a real ‘ home ‘ which you have so clearly demonstrated and evidenced. Ty Iscoed Residential Home now join a small but growing group of Butterfly Homes in Wales who are flying the flag for what matters most in dementia care – an enormous thank you!’’

The award involved implementing a number of developments set by Dementia Care Matters which also included significant environmental work developing ‘Houses’ within the Home. The kitemark status demonstrates “highly skilled care with a high degree of good person centred dementia care and the potential to develop further’’.

Feelings based care is the priority as opposed to the traditional task led care. Importance is placed on people’s emotional well being, identity and creating a sense of belonging in their own home. People contribute to the running of their own home, which includes helping with preparing meals and domestic chores which is typical of a ‘normal’ home life.

Family life is recognised, valued and embraced! Family relationships and friendships are nurtured by staff supporting relatives to be naturally involved in their loved ones life as much as the person wishes. This creates an atmosphere where families don’t feel like they are ‘visiting’.

Staff working in the home shared ‘We no longer feel like we are going to work, we feel that we are being with people as families and friends. This is evidenced by a relaxed atmosphere, where cwtches and cuddles are in abundance. This in turn has had such a positive effect on the people who live at Ty Iscoed. Families and visitors alike. On reflection we really wish at the start of the DCM project we could have seen the end result as it is such a different place now , it’s like home from home’.

Cllr Robin Woodyatt, Cabinet Member for Social Services said: “I am delighted that Ty Iscoed Residential Home has been awarded a Kite Mark Status by Dementia Care Matters. This is testament to the fantastic facilities and care that are provided to those who live within Ty Iscoed and I am thrilled that this has been recognised. Well done to each and every person who has strived to achieve this fantastic goal”.